A Fun Fight
by xxXX1trueloveXXxx
Summary: Summary: In honor of my friend's first time reading this series and giving me a prompt I have attempted to explore writing fighting. Basically, it is Rose being happy about training and the joy that she gets from just living and training. "It's always the best part of my life. I learn. I train. I fight. I win."


The prompt a few weeks ago was "joie de vivre" and took forever for me to get it right. Then classes and work got crazy. As a result after a few to many drinks and not enough giggles I was determined to be inspired.

I have never written fighting before so that was a challenge…I think I did okay for a first time. So without further adieu here give you "A Fun Fight" because of Rose's joie de vivre!

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**A Fun Fight**

**Rose POV**

You wouldn't think that beating on something would be the highlight of my life…but it is. This makes me smile just because it's familiar and lets my focus narrow down to simple movements. I like this part of my schooling. Other classes are boring and useless. I'm not sure how my correct English grammar is going to help me once I graduate from the Academy.

There is something oddly satisfying and joyous about training. I doubt it is like this in the heat of a real battle. For now, I can't imagine anything better than sparring and training for a real fight. I swear I can feel my blood pumping through every single one of my veins. Each breath fills me with electric energy that is searing my body in numbness after each hit I land perfectly.

Left kick, right jab, turn, block, right snap kick, left hook, block, right elbow, spin kick, duck…

It doesn't matter what's going on in my life outside of this moment. Everything narrows down to what my next move will be. The absolute certainty that I know can to protect Moroi like Lissa and kill all evil Strigoi.

Turn, right kick, block, left jab, right upper cut, duck, left round house…_damn_.

It's a new move that makes me reposition to keep my weight evenly distributed once I've landed. I take breath to reset, if I practice enough it will become second nature, so I go back to running combos. The bag makes satisfying thumping sounds each time I land a hit. One day that kick will fit into my combos that same way.

After a few more successful combos I can feel the beginning of a smile pull at my lips. I can't help it despite the focus I should have. The feel that I will always win creeps up on me with each hit. Obviously I will win. I'm good. Also, I'm fighting a double ended bag.

I can hear the others in the gym practicing and whatever. This period is just rotational workouts. Weight training, endurance, sparring, and anything else we'd want to work on from our classes. It's all under the supervision of a few guardians to correct us if we are going to seriously hurt ourselves. Sometimes I think they are just here to generally criticize when we get something right so we don't get to cocky.

_Don't drop my shoulder._ I'm not sure why I did, it's a habit I thought I broke. Apparently not when I let my mind wander. Breath to reset.

Right jab, left kick, left upper cut, right knee, step back, left hook, block…

It's an endless rhythm of my body's muscle memory moving with seamless precision. Anyway, I rotate around like everyone else. All the stuff we are supposed to do. This area though, it is mine. Everyone knows it at on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Double ended bag between a B.O.B. heavy bag and a banana heavy bag. All three is everything I need for every combo I can think of.

"Sneak attack!"

I can't help rolling my eyes as I hear Mason's and Eddie's voices echoing in the training room. I know they are coming at me from behind. One of them grabs my arm after the few seconds of warning. A sparring mat thwaps as it's dropped near us. I whirl around letting my momentum propel my fist into Eddie's chest, he hasn't prepared yet. He must have been the one dragging that mat. The spinning move also makes Mason lose his grip on my arm. Slipping away from them I brace for a good fight. This is gonna be fun. _Breath. Reset. Focus on opponents._

I grit my teeth as the sharp sting slaps all up my back. The banana bag from beside me early hit my back. I pull my head forward before it would meet the same fate as my back. _Stay focused_.

Mason had pushed the bag at me while Eddie recovered. I take a few steps to move away from it. Regaining my balance, I lash out at Mason with a quick kick as he moves around the bag. When Eddie steps up to land a punch on Mason I take a shot at him. He goes down first with a well place upper cut just under his right ribs. He manages a jab with his elbow as Mason hooks me in my ribs. Payback for his best friend. I dodge Eddie's jab. Take Mason's hit with a gasp. Then pivot between them so they face each other. Mason is starting to recover. Eddie is turning to face me. Just as Mason starts to get his stance I kick out at his side. He'll land on the mat if he falls. Eddie goes to grab my leg. I whip my leg behind me to switch my leading leg and distribute my weight evenly. He didn't expect that. I use Eddie's forward momentum to push him around me, so the mat is behind both boys in front of me. Before both boys can recover I quickly look for something to pin them with. My body weight will never be enough. The closest things I can grab is are empty barbells. _Damn._

A flash of steady movement makes me react. I round house whoever looked ready to balance themselves more, I think it was Eddie since I can't see Mason's red hair anywhere.

_Crap_. He's behind me somehow. Frustration noises start escaping from my throat at the slip up. _Be aware of your surroundings at all times._ Mason snuck past me once…he won't again.

Turn, block, duck, punch, block, jab, duck, block…

I know I on the defensive not offensive. Can't be. Shouldn't be. Hey, its two against one here but still. As a last-ditch effort to change that I grab one of the empty barbells in each hand. I throw the left one towards Eddie. Moving behind a banana bag I kick it at Mason. Eddie didn't expect flying projectiles in this fight, so I have an advantage now that it is just Mason versus me. Ducking the bag by cutting on the opposite side on the double ended with my back against it I face Mason. Ready. He tried to throw it back at me, but I wasn't there. Eddie has recovered and was headed my way. A hook from the speed of my maneuvering connects with his jaw. He's kind of dazed. I land a few hits to his torso and move so the mat is behind them again. A series well placed kicks, punches, and jabs gives me the upper hand. Finally, I get got an opening. As I side stepped one of Mason's kicks as Eddie tried to grab me. The next few seconds happen as blur of reactions. I grab the shoulder of Eddies shirt in both hands. Throwing my weight to the right, at mason. Crouch to sweep a leg behind the one leg Mason is on from his attempt to kick me and both of Eddie's. I keep going to quickly face them. _Don't open you back to attack._ Standing now I'm balanced. I smile at the set up. Eddie is still falling on Mason who didn't land his attempts round house. I right side kick Eddie square in the back. It flops him onto Mason before they both fall onto the mat. Hard. A pile of uncoordinated limbs. Once they hit the mat I can tell they have called it quits but my kick keeps me spinning to the left.

I can't help the laughter that sounds maniacal at this point, even to me, as I take the barbell still tightly gripped in my right hand. Coming around I from my pivot I land both feet firmly on the ground. I use all my force against the B.O.B. heavy bag that was to the left of my double ended bag. With instincts I'm still trying to hone, I focus on where a Strigoi's heart would be shouting triumphantly, "STAKED!"

I'm gasping for breath, heaving to get oxygen. This is my life. I can feel sweat dripping down the back of my neck and my clothing is sticking to me slightly uncomfortably. This is it and I love it. An awesome brawl against my friends. Speaking of…I peal from my eyes away from the 'dead Strigoi' bag. Smirking at the boys I left in the metaphorical dust where they lay still on the mat. I can't help laughing again at their dazed expressions. My face almost hurts from smiling now.

Yep, this moment is all I need. This is all I'll ever need. It's always the best part my life. _I learn. I train. I fight. I win._

Lissa has to hear about this later. I will make her day better, or at least make her smile. Me wining usually does and for better or worse...

_I always win_.

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Thank you for the inspiration you send by reading my fics. Sorry this one took so long to get out there! As usual: Comments and prompts to help me write better are always welcome!


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